Four Trends in Informal STEM Education that We’ll See in 2023
Think back to the informal learning of your youth. Maybe a museum field trip comes to mind? Or perhaps you’re picturing being out in the woods, using field guides to identify birds? While there are plenty of similarities between those experiences and informal learning experiences today, there are also some really interesting developments that we should keep our eyes on.
In this post, I will outline four trends in informal STEM learning (ISE) that we will see more of in 2023.
Incorporation of Innovative Technology
By now you’ve likely heard of the progress being made in AI (artificial intelligence) technology (and if you haven’t, check out last month’s blog post). Platforms like ChatGPT and Google Bard are coming in quickly to change the ways we work. These technologies will likely impact our own workflow in ISE more so than our programs and other offerings - at least for now. Programs like Motion offer us the ability to use AI to better plan and execute our tasks. This year, we’re likely to see ISE professionals tinkering with these types of tools and figuring out how to best apply them to their practice. ISE organizations may also be starting to think about company policies regarding AI and how staff can be encouraged or discouraged from using AI tools in their workflows.
Another way we will see AI incorporated into ISE is through educational programs and organizations that are supporting the development of AI skills and abilities in today’s learners. The AI Education Project for example offers educators free curriculum that “creates equitable learning experiences that excite and empower students with AI literacy.” Educators, policymakers, and ISE leaders should all be thinking about the incoming disruption of AI on many workforces and how we can equip learners to navigate our new technological future.
VR (virtual reality) in ISE is another area we’re likely to see develop in 2023. While VR technology still has a long way to go to be fully accessible and effective, some ISE organizations are playing with the incorporation of programs and hardware to give learners more immersive learning experiences. On a recent visit to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, I was excited to see the Birdly flight simulator, an immersive experience that combines haptic engineering, robotics, game design, and biomechanics to allow users to “fly” and interact with environments of their choosing.
Birdly VR
New social media technologies are another area we are likely to see ISE movement towards in 2023. While not totally “new,” the platform TikTok has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Users like AsapSCIENCE and alexisnikole (aka the Black Forager) offer bite-sized commentary on ISE topics in video format. Creating and disseminating this content offers users a way to increase the visibility and representation of folks traditionally left out of STEM. It’s an accessible way to get involved in science communication and raise STEM literacy among the general public. Of course, TikTok has been criticized for the spread of misinformation, so ISE organizations interested in diving deeper into these waters will need to consider how to combat misinformation, and build critical thinking and data literacy skills.
Community-Centric Models
ISE organizations are thinking more and more about how to center the communities they serve in their programming. Similarly, evaluators are practicing equitable and culturally responsive evaluation, and funders are moving towards trust-based philanthropy. What does all of this mean for you? It means that the power dynamics inherent in the nonprofit sector are getting a big shake-up. In 2023 we are likely to see even more movement towards centering the communities we serve in our ISE work. Organizations will likely be employing more equitable and responsive practices within their own walls, such as community-developed programming.
Focus on Workforce Development
There is a mismatch between the skills our future workers will need in STEM and the training and programs of yesterday.
We’re seeing major investment in workforce development in STEM from organizations like Intel. Funding is likely to continue or increase to support ISE programming in areas like manufacturing, robotics, and emerging technologies. We may also see an investment in specialized programs, apprenticeships, and directed learning opportunities to prepare learners for the STEM jobs of tomorrow.
Exploring Research and Evaluation Methods
Ever a noble objective of ISE researchers and evaluators, creating shared measures that can be used across ISE programs and contexts is a goal we will see pursued in 2023. While challenges relating to shared measures remain (e.g., the complexity of ISE learning experiences, the major differences between programs, and the challenges with identifying depth of effects), more shared measures are being developed and tested for use in the ISE context. This is driven partially by interests in defining collective impact, as well as by access and equity concerns around measurement tools.
We are also likely to see an uptick in using new methods and technologies like eye-tracking software and social media analysis for research and evaluation purposes. An emphasis on digital literacy and critical thinking skills may gain ground over the traditional outcomes (like content knowledge gain), and tracking long-term outcomes may become more feasible as digital footprints make it easier to track participants over time.
The incorporation of innovative technology, a shift toward community-centric programming models, focus on workforce development, and the exploration of research and evaluation methods are four key areas where we will likely see progress in 2023. However, thinking of these subjects as “trends,” or fleeting areas of focus, is probably not entirely accurate. Many of these ideas and new ways of thinking will be here to stay, and will continue to inform ISE program development and research methods far beyond the close of 2023.
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